Public safety is our top priority at SDOT. So, we had to close the northbound right lane of 4th Avenue South over the Argo bridge (just north of S Dawson St to just south of Costco) for possibly up to twelve months. The bridge has some cracking and needs to be repaired. While it’s safe to travel on, we wanted to reduce the load on the outer edges of the bridge deck, which is why we needed to close that lane.
4th Ave S over Argo bridge connects historic Georgetown to downtown Seattle.
During this time, two lanes of southbound traffic are open, but large trucks will have to use the center lane when crossing the bridge. People walking and biking will still be able to use the sidewalk on the west side of the bridge.
Routine inspection of the Argo bridge found that more reinforcement is needed of the cantilevered ends of the main span piers. When it’s all fixed, the northbound curb (right) lane will be reopened but oversized trucks won’t be allowed on the bridge.
So, if 4th Ave S over this bridge is part of your regular route:
- Please plan for extra travel time when crossing the bridge or
- Use suggested alternate routes:
o East Marginal Way
o 1st Ave S
o Airport Way S
A temporary variable message sign will let northbound drivers know about the traffic change on 4th Ave S during the initial phase of the lane closure.
We know this lane closure will cause delays for regular users of this route, but this short-term inconvenience will be outweighed by the much longer-term benefit: a stable, rehabilitated bridge for all users. We want to make sure everything is safe so we can maintain mobility through the city. As always, public safety is our top priority.